What is occurring on Wall Street right now is truly remarkable. For over 10 days, in the sanctum of the great cathedral of global capitalism, the dispossessed have liberated territory from the financial overlords and their police army.

They have created a unique opportunity to shift the tides of history in the tradition of other great peaceful occupations from the sit-down strikes of the 1930s to the lunch-counter sit-ins of the 1960s to the democratic uprisings across the Arab world and Europe today.

While the Wall Street occupation is growing, it needs an all-out commitment from everyone who cheered the Egyptians in Tahrir Square, said “We are all Wisconsin,” and stood in solidarity with the Greeks and Spaniards. This is a movement for anyone who lacks a job, housing or healthcare, or thinks they have no future.

Our system is broken at every level. More than 25 million Americans are unemployed. More than 50 million live without health insurance. And perhaps 100 million Americans are mired in poverty, using realistic measures. Yet the fat cats continue to get tax breaks and reap billions while politicians compete to turn the austerity screws on all of us.

At some point the number of people occupying Wall Street – whether that’s five thousand, ten thousand or fifty thousand – will force the powers that be to offer concessions. No one can say how many people it will take or even how things will change exactly, but there is a real potential for bypassing a corrupt political process and to begin realizing a society based on human needs not hedge fund profits.

After all, who would have imagined a year ago that Tunisians and Egyptians would oust their dictators?

At Liberty Park, the nerve center of the occupation, more than a thousand people gather every day to debate, discuss and organize what to do about our failed system that has allowed the 400 richest Americans at the top to amass more wealth than the 180 million Americans at the bottom.

It’s astonishing that this self-organized festival of democracy has sprouted on the turf of the masters of the universe, the men who play the tune that both political parties and the media dance to. The New York Police Department, which has deployed hundreds of officers at a time to surround and intimidate protesters, is capable of arresting everyone and clearing Liberty Plaza in minutes. But they haven’t, which is also astonishing.

That’s because assaulting peaceful crowds in a public square demanding real democracy – economic and not just political – would remind the world of the brittle autocrats who brutalized their people demanding justice before they were swept away by the Arab Spring. And the state violence has already backfired. After police attacked a Saturday afternoon march that started from Liberty Park the crowds only got bigger and media interest grew.

The Wall Street occupation has already succeeded in revealing the bankruptcy of the dominant powers – the economic, the political, media and security forces. They have nothing positive to offer humanity, not that they ever did for the Global South, but now their quest for endless profits means deepening the misery with a thousand austerity cuts.

Even their solutions are cruel jokes. They tell us that the “Buffett Rule” would spread the pain by asking the penthouse set to sacrifice a tin of caviar, which is what the proposed tax increase would amount to. Meanwhile, the rest of us will have to sacrifice healthcare, food, education, housing, jobs and perhaps our lives to sate the ferocious appetite of capital.

That’s why more and more people are joining the Wall Street occupation. They can tell you about their homes being foreclosed upon, months of grinding unemployment or minimum-wage dead-end jobs, staggering student debt loads, or trying to live without decent healthcare. It’s a whole generation of Americans with no prospects, but who are told to believe in a system that can only offer them Dancing With The Stars and pepper spray to the face.

Yet against every description of a generation derided as narcissistic, apathetic and hopeless they are staking a claim to a better future for all of us.

That’s why we all need to join in. Not just by liking it on Facebook, signing a petition at change.org or retweeting protest photos, but by going down to the occupation itself.

There is great potential here. Sure, it’s a far cry from Tahrir Square or even Wisconsin. But there is the nucleus of a revolt that could shake America’s power structure as much as the Arab world has been upended.

Instead of one to two thousand people a day joining in the occupation there needs to be tens of thousands of people protesting the fat cats driving Bentleys and drinking thousand-dollar bottles of champagne with money they looted from the financial crisis and then from the bailouts while Americans literally die on the streets.

To be fair, the scene in Liberty Plaza seems messy and chaotic. But it’s also a laboratory of possibility, and that’s the beauty of democracy. As opposed to our monoculture world, where political life is flipping a lever every four years, social life is being a consumer and economic life is being a timid cog, the Wall Street occupation is creating a polyculture of ideas, expression and art.

Yet while many people support the occupation, they hesitate to fully join in and are quick to offer criticism. It’s clear that the biggest obstacles to building a powerful movement are not the police or capital – it’s our own cynicism and despair.

Perhaps their views were colored by the New York Times article deriding protestors for wishing to “pantomime progressivism” and “Gunning for Wall Street with faulty aim.” Many of the criticisms boil down to “a lack of clear messaging.”

But what’s wrong with that? A fully formed movement is not going to spring from the ground. It has to be created. And who can say what exactly needs to be done? We are not talking about ousting a dictator; though some say we want to oust the dictatorship of capital.

But how can we get broad agreement on any of these? If the protesters came into the square with a pre-determined set of demands it would have only limited their potential. They would have either been dismissed as pie in the sky – such as socialized medicine or nationalize banks – or if they went for weak demands such as the Buffett Rule their efforts would immediately be absorbed by a failed political system, thus undermining the movement.

That’s why the building of the movement has to go hand in hand with common struggle, debate and radical democracy. It’s how we will create genuine solutions that have legitimacy. And that is what is occurring down at Wall Street.

Now, there are endless objections one can make. But if we focus on the possibilities, and shed our despair, our hesitancy and our cynicism, and collectively come to Wall Street with critical thinking, ideas and solidarity we can change the world.

How many times in your life do you get a chance to watch history unfold, to actively participate in building a better society, to come together with thousands of people where genuine democracy is the reality and not a fantasy?

For too long our minds have been chained by fear, by division, by impotence. The one thing the elite fear most is a great awakening. That day is here. Together we can seize it.

Comments

GlennBrackman

09/28/2011 - 4:51am

People should never forget that real health depends how well you take care of yourself and not what health insurance you carry but I agree health insurance is important for every one. Search "Penny Health" or online for dollar a day insurance plans.

Socialized medicine should NOT be considered pie-in-the-sky. We WILL end up with single payer health care here within a decade, probably much less, simply because the present system is quickly bankrupting the country. We will be FORCED into single payer, and better that we now plan for it than wait for the inevitable collapse of the current health care mess to happen. There are plenty of experts in health care and doctors ready for the quick transition to single payer. What stands in the way is the for-profit health care sector. That must be made crystal clear to all. What stands in the way of affordable, single payer health care that would remove that great worry from millions of Americans is the for-profit health care sector.

a great article exccept for this 1 sentence:
"But there is the nucleus of a revolt that could shake America’s power structure as much as the Arab world has been upended."

A couple of hundred people are going to shake the power structure?!

C'mon: One can recognize that this a historical event, that is is hopefully politicizing and radicalizing many young people (and not so young) beyond the numbers participating.

That it can give people hope for whom hope has been elusive in recent years. That it can shake people from apathy and inaction.

It may do all these things and more. But to suggest it is the beginning of something that will shake the power structure suggests either
a) the author is frightfully ignorant of US power structure (unlikely)
or
b) he is dazzled by seeing what he WANTS to see.

In England our Tory led government is trying to use the financial meltdown to privatize our beloved National Health Service, which gives us outstanding treatment, it saved my wife's life with stem cell treatment, saved my life when I was left in a coma due to a motorcycle accident, and recently saved my teenage sons life, he had a sever blood infection, and all this is free.
We are trying to defend it, there will be an occupation of Westminster Bridge 0ct 9th, by uk uncut to highlight to our upper house the lords, the feelings and love we have for our NHS,
if America is so rich and powerful, why has it not got its own NHS, but I see it has lots of billionaires, its a case of what do the people want.

This is your moment progressives of America, realize that you are sowing the seeds of a #CoffeeParty that can start exerting real pressure on your democrat politicians to represent the majority of the population and not just the super-rich. Don't waste this opportunity!! You have a natural majority that just needs to get organized.

They shouldnt occupy Wall Street... we should occupy the neighborhoods where these crooks live. Knock on the front door to their multi million dollar homes and tell them to give back all the money they stole from us...

On 1 May l990 Citizens of the World spontaneously materialized as a non-profit non-membership entity with the sole purpose of creating in the immediate future a new coöperative world society of citizens of ecological consciousness dedicated to replacing money with abundance, wage-work with civic contribution, competition with collaboration, violence with friendship and nationalism with ethnic fraternity. As a world coöperative, iWi invites the sisterhood and brotherhood of humanity to incite world insight to protect our planet and all its species by documentation of the destructiveness of present-day capitalism in order to transform it into a moneyless stateless world economy where all produce in order that all consume. All Citizens of the World believe, in principle and in practice, ideas are stronger than force and there is a kinder, gentler way to change the world than killing other human beings. As responsible citizens we coöperatively reproduce ideas - and invite others who agree to reproduce and distribute them - to create such a society.

Hedi, on Facebook look for Occupy Together and then see what pages they like. There are occupy organizations happening in nearly every state. There is a also a "Carpool to #Occupy Wallstreet" page where you can try and coordinate with others in your area. I'm not sure how well the latter is working. Someone was also trying to coordinate bus tickets for people but I don't know where that is. The best place for information from the community is the Occupy Wall Street FB page.

RE "This is a movement for anyone who lacks a job, housing or healthcare, or thinks they have no future."
It's also a movement for people who have a bit of a future but would like to have more of one. Solving real problems makes things better for everybody.

The options the political system have been giving us is equivalent to "do you want your sour milk in a red cup or a blue cup" The people are finally waking up and declaring that they don't care about the color of the cup... they don't want to drink sour milk!

I don't think I want to live in a country that does not take care of their peoples health.. People should not be afraid to go and see a doctor. Cost of care should not be an issue for anyone. Greed of the medical field, Medical Corporations that run the hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies all have their hand out and want theirs. Health care should be a right for every American not a service to make some one richer...

Powerful, logical arguments for change are boiling to the surface of our cultural consciousness. We are beginning to reframe the arguments. Compelling messages are arriving and will fuel change, drawing more and more people. In Egypt it was "we don't need a dictator." Our version of such clarity is in the offing, and will pave the way for cultural reinvention, and as always, it will be in fits and starts. We've had the foot on our necks too long. And we do have the power.

Am thinking of doing my part by starting a vigil to Save the Post Office and Shut Down Wall Street at my local Post Office cause i can't afford to even go anywhere else at this point. I feel compelled to do what i can where i live, so that is a start.
I am so happy people are taking a stand and may it spread all over the world. The warmongering greed fest must be halted for the sake of all the world's children.

Unity is a sense of freedom within itself. We are Americans. We are Human beings. A right to change our world for the better, defined by the whole, is a necessity. Our Capitalist overseers would hold a flag of democracy over our heads and tell us that our freedom is secure. Little do most realized that this flag has become a ceiling through which none can see. They watch from atop their ivory towers. From within their castles of estates. The Elite class of america holds not its hand in the pocket of the people. They control the government on strings like a puppet. Always remember, those that seek to control you, do so because they fear you. They are the Elite. We are the Many. If we stand against them, they will cower before us. If we march towards them, they will clear us a path. Hostility is not necessary. Siting comfortably on their cushioned chairs and sipping brandy from their crystal goblets has lead them to become weak and fearful. They will try to crush us before we have momentum. However, if they fail in their first blow, if we stand proudly, united, until the end, they will know they cannot win. Humanity over comes its oppressors and dismantles its obstacle. You may be just one, but if you stand up, more will join you. Be the Many. Be the Free.

It would be useful for us to work two parallels:
1. earning income to figure out how we want to be governed
2. Figuring out what needs to change, the ramifications of that change and then replacing it with a solution.
Health: starts with food, kick the fast food,support local farmers and start farming!
Preventative is key: reducing toxins that kill: drinking, smoking,packaged food
Education: what do you know? Who around you knows what? Build a group of teachers for your children with practical application
Jobs: become a business, you make your job, buy local not from Natl. Chains. Buy American made products. If you have to buy abroad buy from the Americas! Less carbon print and we are one people!
The most important thing is for us to realize we teach people how we want to be treated. So our time is now! We must learn how to live together in peace, just the occupation itself will make you see, it 's not as easy as it seems. www.queensrepublic.wordpress.com

Hmmm. These crooks running things in Wall Street. Anyone ever think that they pissed off these people that have become terrorists in the middle east? and others around the world? Why would they care about us one way or another when we live so far away?

I co-run a project called The Finance Innovation Lab in the Uk which was launched in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. We realised that there were 1000's of good ideas about how to improve the financial system but the power to implement and develop these ideas was held by a few. So we set up the Lab as an open space where people could come together to explore, innovate and evolve the financial system so that it sustains people and planet.

We have been hosting regular events in London and now have over 2,000 people in our community from academics to investment bankers to design students to anti-capitalists. we are effectively crowdsourcing solutions, people cluster around the ideas that inspire them an dwe turn them into projects, fundraising for each project and creating a safe space where the idea can be incubabted and prototyped. The Lab is a partership between WWF-UK and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Fabulous article. I have only one point of disagreement with you-- I do think that aiming at something more specific like single payer health-care *would* galvanize a lot of people.
I suspect that some critics asking for "messaging"-- have a media-marketing-electoral politics in mind when they say this. I think there is a difference between having a clear "message" -- in terms of a marketing mentality-- and aiming at a clear set of demands. and single payer health care would tap into a majority of peoples' everyday lives. Free public education is another. As a feminist- i'm disturbed by the absence of a feminist slant to issues--and ultimately- if this burgeoned as a movement would organize an autonomous feminist contingent. However, at the moment- it would be most hopeful if some sort of platform were being deliberated about in what you are calling the "laboratory" of the occupation-- which is an inspiring term for it, and I hope correct. Thanks again for the piece.

Kathy, I agree that healthcare is very important but it is far from the only solution to our problems. It wouldn't do anything to add the jobs we need, fix the imbalance of wealth or address any political ills.

I would like to suggest that we start Boycotting Movies immediately. Our A list stars, Filmmakers, producers and CEO such as DreamWorks Animation CEO are giving millions to the very people that protect Wall Street. This is something that everyone can do right now, stop going to the movie for a while and demand that these celebrities gave money to help feed the poor and to their local public school instead of feeding the pigs!!!!!! The news reported Lady Gaga spend over $38,000 for two plates of dinner at a Political function this week! $38,000 can feed a few families for a whole year! Or put in seatbelts for a few school buses! Provide school supplies for children who can't even afford pencils! CELEBRITIES PROTECT WALL STREET. STOP THEIR PAYCHECK!

@Kathy, I don't think there needs to be a feminist slant to this. This is about human beings. All human beings. Regardless of age, "race", gender, job, neighborhood, upbringing, etc. This is about people no longer standing by and letting things be. This effects everyone in this society. Screw demographics... I mean, sorry for the vulgarity, but seriously. Diminishing something like this into a segmented proportion of the population is obsolete.

The movement is growing by the day! What has started on Wall Street is spreading across the nation, we are organizing and will be silent no more! Our transparent politicians are running scared as they should be, their overlords cannot save them from the 99%! This is the just beginning of THEIR end. We stand in solidarity at the doorstep of history, we want our country back and we will not take no for an answer! The days of RED vs BLUE are over, this is about the RED, WHITE &amp; BLUE!

I totally agree with your ideals but what I don't understand is why occupy wall street why not dc the fat cats in the bentlys aren't the ones who can make a change its the polititians we should occupy dc and say hey look at us were the people of this country we need a change we need a fair playing field they lleave us no room left to survive there aren't no jobs and the ones there are you can't Pay your bills with the goverment takes its 25% right off the top but gives you nothing in return they overspend borrow money and we will all suffer for it.. Not the fat cats they will still be sittin high driving their bentlys..sorry to got off on a rant but if we want a change we have to mass together and tell our so called leaders we need a change and were not leaving till we get that

I've been at Liberty Plaza and it's pretty amazing. As to the question of what is the Occupy Wall Street official agenda - what do they want, what are they proposing to start some change happening? - I completely agree with the author, that can easily end up serving no other purpose than giving naysayers a target to pick apart while taking the focus off of the real point. It isn't the job of the folks down at Liberty Plaza to give demands. The person who notices that something is broken is not responsible for telling you how to fix it. If I bring my car to the dealership and say the brakes don't work, they don't say, "oh, your brakes aren't working? Well bring the car back when you figure out how to repair brakes." They are already doing their job by asking the rest of us to pay attention too, to point out what many of us know but don't know what to do about, to point out that there is something deeply wrong with our country and it's time to address it. How do we fix our economy, how do we right our political system so the needs of the majority take precedence over the desires of a few, how do we get back to a representative government where ALL voices are heard? Instead of asking them what needs to be done, how about each and every one of us who live in this country asking those questions of ourselves and then taking the responsibility to participate. We complain that we have no voice and then we wait around for someone to tell us what to do. This is supposed to be a democracy - the good people at Occupy Wall Street are stepping up to remind us of that.

China says: @Kathy, I don’t think there needs to be a feminist slant to this. This is about human beings. All human beings. Regardless of age, “race”, gender, job, neighborhood, upbringing, etc. This is about people no longer standing by and letting things be. This effects everyone in this society. Screw demographics… I mean, sorry for the vulgarity, but seriously. Diminishing something like this into a segmented proportion of the population is obsolete.

China, this is the kind of thinking that will doom the "occupation"- (a problematic term ...)-- because it ignores the relations of power and hierarchies that do divide people in brutal ways. Not everyone is impacted in the same way by the economic crisis. At the same time, there are platforms that could galvanize everyone--such as those including single-payer- not a cure all for everything-- but a radical reform that--if pushed for- could really awaken a sense of possibilities. There are other demands that can be made- I'm just using single payer as one powerful example. AT the same time, the struggle is going to have to respond to the reality of existing hierarchies that devastate people in the material world. The idea that there is "only people" is a delusion. Maybe an ideal, but at present a delusion.

King Leonedas and the Three and all who stood at thermople woukd have been very proud of all who resist the treasonous thieving hord od whores of wall street , we have the resove to save arfe country they fight only for greed and self grtatification they don`t even have the will to fight at all they have all there puppets and cronies do that for them LET`S FINISH WHAT WE STARED WE LOVE OUR COUNTRY THEY ONLY WANTY TO ENRICH THEMSELVES
\\MONON LAVE ETAN E EPITAS

On a recent trip to Canada, I chatted with a merchant who'd immigrated there from Turkey after a few years living in Manhattan with a family friend. His commentary on the health reform fight: "I don't get what they're arguing about. Are Americans just stupid?"